A Genetic and Mosaic Analysis of a Locus Involved in the Anesthesia Response of Drosophila melanogaster

We describe a genetic and behavioral analysis of several alleles of har38, a mutant with altered sensitivity to the general anesthetic halothane. We obtained a P-element-induced allele of har38 and generated several excision alleles by remobilizing the P element. The mutants narrow abdomen (na) and har85 are confirmed to be allelic to har 38. Besides a decreased sensitivity to halothane, all mutant alleles of this locus cause a characteristic walking behavior in the absence of anesthetics. We have quantified this behavior using a geotaxis apparatus. Responses of the mutant alleles to different inhalational anesthetics were tested. The results strongly favor a multipathway model for the onset of anesthesia. Mosaic flies were tested for their response to halothane and checked for their abnormal walking behavior. The analysis suggests that both the behaviors are exhibited only by such mosaics as have the entire head of mutant origin. It is likely that this focus represents an element of a common pathway in the anesthetic response to several inhalational anesthetics but not all. This result is the first demonstration of regional specificity in the CNS of any animal for general anesthetic action.